Vehicle-apron.



PATENTED JULY 7, 1903.

J. B.'cRBToRs. VEHICLE Amori.

lAPPLICA'LION FILED APB. 4. 1903.

H0A MODEL.

'is a specica'tion.

UNITED STATES.

JESSE B. ORETORS, OF ST. PARIS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO H. BERRY, OF ST. PARIS, OHIO.

Patented July 7, 1903.

vPATENT OFFICE.,V

PETER VEHICLE-APRTON.

SPECIFICATION blmng part 0f Letters Patent N0. 732,716., dated July '7, 1903.

Application filed April 4,Y 1903. Serial No. 151,137.V (No model.) p

To all whom it may concern.' d

Beit known that I, JESSE B. CRETORS, a citizen of the United States, residing at St.. Paris, in the county of Champaign and State.` of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Ve-` hicle Apron or Hood, of which the followingI This invention relates more particularly toi the means for securing aprons or hoods tot vehicles. d

It is the objectrto provide means'of this character which is carried bythe apron or hood and -is adjustable, so that said apron or hood may be readily applied to tops of dier ent sizes and makes and will lit snugly upon the same to the exclusion of rain, mud, and Furthermore, this means is simple, easily constructed, and being attached to the* dust.

apron isalways in proper position when the cover is applied to a vehicle. Moreover, it ist not liable to become detached and lost.

It is also the objectto provide novel means of an efficient character for attaching a storm` hood to the dashboard and other portions of a vehicle.

Two forms of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective lView of one embodiment-namely, a storm apron or hoodshowing the same applied to a vehicle. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the securing means for the upper edge of the same.

board. Fig. 4 is a detailsectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. land illustrating thel means for attaching the side wings ofthe apron. Fig. 5 is a sectional' View taken on .the line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail secings.

. goosenecks of the' seat-arms. 'provided with suitable Windows orsight-open- Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View; taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the means for attaching the apron toa dash.

13 is a sectional view taken on the lineg/ y of Fig. 10.

Similar reference-numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figures ofthe draw- Before proceeding with the description of the invention it is desired to state that the of variousV descriptions cles.

The embodiment illustrated in the first eightigures is astorm-hood designed to be applied to the open front of a carriage or buggy, as illustrated in Fig. 1. This hood comprises the apron 10, of sufficient length to extend from the top to the lower portion of the dashboard and having side wings 11, the rear edges of which can be secured to the `The apron is employed upon vehiings 12 and also an opening `13 Vfor the passage of the reins, said la'tter opening having a suitable Hap-cover 14. The upper edge of the lapron has a longitudinally-disposed pocket '15,' formed by doubling a suitable piece of material 16 and sewing the edges thereof together and to the upper edgezof the apron, as

illustrated in Fig. 6. This pocket is provided with' an -intermediate opening 17, normally covered by a Hap 18, which is provided at its' free end with a suitable-fastener4 19.v The portion of the pocket adjacentto the opening 'isfstrengthened by a' reinforcing-piece 20. ,Extending longitudinally through the pocket is a tension-strap comprising sections 21, ad-

justably connected at their` inner ends by a buckle 22,that is located at the opening 17 of said pocket, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The outer ends of the strap-sections project beyond the ends of the pocket and carry rings 23, which are arranged to detachably` engage hooks 24, secured to the apron contiguous to its side edges by means of-vsuitable rivets 25, which pass through the pocket and preferably through the strap-sections"cose-` cure them against movement.

The manner of attachingthe upper edge of the hood or apron to a vehicle-top `will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 1 and IOO a tu

2. The projecting ends of the tension-strap are loopedlabout the opposite front studs 26, and the rings are engaged upon the hooks 24. Thus the loops formed by the ends of the strap constitute simple attaching devices. The upper edge of the apron is then placed upon the front of the top and is drawn taut by adjusting the buckle connection between theY inner ends of the strap-sections, after which the flap 18 is arranged over the intermediate opening of the pocket, thus covering the buckle and excluding all moisture and dirt therefrom. The lower front edge of the apron is also provided with a longitudinally-disposed pocket 27. (Illustrated particularly in Figs. 3, 7, and 8.) This pocket is preferably arranged upon the inner side of the apron and terminates short of the edges thereof. A strap 28 is passed longitudinally through the pocket and is fastened at its central portion within the same by a rivet 29, which also passes through a reinforcingstrip 30. The ends of the strap are provided with a buckle connection 3l, and said strap may be passed entirely around the dashboard, (designated 32,) so that the lower edge of the hood or apron can be securely fastened thereto. The edges of the pocket are stiened by metallic reinforcing-strips 33, (illustrated in Figs. 3 and 7,) said strips being preferably covered by patches 34. It will be evident that this connection constitutes very efficient means for strapping the lower edge of the apron to the dashboard and being secured thereto cannot become detached and lost. The means for fastening the free ends of the side wings 11 is illustrated in Fig. 5. It will be observed thata strap 35 is employed,one end of which is fastened to a post 36, the other end 37 being arranged to detachably engage over a head 38, formed on the post. This strap is designed to be passed around the gooseneck 39 of the side rail, and it is preferably composed of sections connected by a buckle 39, which permits its extension or contraction, so that the hood may be accommodated to dierent sizes and makes of vehicle-tops.

It will be observed that a hood as thus constructed is very durable. The parts are all adjustable with relation to each other and are carried by the apron. The said hood can thus be quickly attached to any top and may be strapped tightly upon the same, so as to form close joints that will exclude moisture, mud, and dust. Moreover, the elements are housed and forming a part of an integral structure will always be in proper position when the same is applied to the vehicle.

In order to show how certain features may be applied to different styles of covers, an apron for excluding dust from the interior of buggy-tops is illustrated in Figs. 9 to 13. The top portion is designated 10, and the rear edge of the same is provided with a pocket l5 similar in all respects to that originally described. The tension-strap, the attaching means formed by the ends thereof, and all the details of construction are exactly the same as those already described, the same reference-numerals being employed. 'lhis means is employed for securing the rear edge to the front bow ot' the top, as in the previously-described embodiment. The body is extended over the rear edge of the seat, and said body is provided with side iaps, which depend over the sides of the top. These flaps are secured by suitable straps 40, (indicated in Fig. 9 and shown in Fig. 12,) said straps being adapted to surround one of the lowered bows.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron having an inclosed pocket provided with an intermediate opening, of a tension-strap arranged longitudinally within the pocket and having an ad- ,instable connection located at the opening, and attaching devices arranged at the ends of the pocket. v

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron, of strap-sections carried by the apron, an exposed buckle adjustably connecting the inner portions of the sections, and attaching devices arranged at the outer ends of the strapsections.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron, of strap-sections fastened at their outer ends to the apron contiguous to its edges, a buckle adjustably connecting the inner portions of the sections forming a continuous non-elastic strap, and attaching devices arranged at the outer ends of the strap-sections.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron, of spaced attaching-loops carried by the apron, one of said loops having a detachable connection at one end with the apron, and means for contracting the apron between the loops.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron, of a flexible attaching-loop secured at one end to the apron, and a detachable connection between the Other end of the loop and said apron.

6. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron, of a flexible attaching-loop secured at one end to the apron, and having a ring at its other free end, and a hook carried by the apron and arranged to be engaged by the ring.

7. In a structure of the class described, the

IIO

combination with an apron, of a strap having an intermediate portion secured tothe apron, said strap having free ends and means for securing the ends of the strap to the apron to form said ends into attaching-loops.

8. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron having a pocket at one edge, of a strap located within .the

pocket and having an end projecting there! from, and means for securing the end to the apron to form said end into an attachingloop.

9. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an apron having a pocket at one edge, said pocket being provided with an intermediate opening, of a strap located within the pocket, and having a buckle arranged atthe opening, and means for attaching .the ends of the strap to a vehicle.

l0. In a structure of the class described,the combination with an apron having a pocket that terminates short of the edges of the apron and has its ends opening on the inner face of the same, and a strap passed through the pocket and arranged to surround the dashboard of a vehicle.

l1. In a structure of the class described,the combination with an apron having a pocket, of reinforcing-straps extending across the mouths of the pocket, and a strap secured within the pocket and projecting from the ends thereof. v Y

12. In a structure of the class described,the combination with an apron, of an attachingstrap secured at one end to the apron, and having a'detachable connection ,at its other end .with said apron, and a buckle interposed. lin the strap.

13. In a structure ot' the class described,the combination with an apron, of strap-sections secured at intermediate points the'rcto,means for securing the outerends of the sections to i Witnesses: FRANK BERRY,

ALVA C. BoLINGER. 

